Heartstrings
by Akinriah Tram
Summary: Fragments of Sakura and Sasuke's life. Many universes. - 1o: Breath [the only sound in the world]
1. o1: A Night's Reminisce

**TITLE: **A Night's Reminisce  
**WORD COUNT:** 355  
**NOTES**: 1st person in Sakura's POV. From 482 onwards, but does not follow canon. Thank you _**Anime Siren**_, for her wonderful beta-ing.  
**SUMMARY**: I wish that morning never comes.

* * *

It isn't every day that I get to see such a childlike, innocent, and peaceful Sasuke-kun. He's sleeping next to me, all defenses are down and I know that he is the same boy that I fell in love with during my childhood.

Three years fleeted past us and before I knew it, everyone was leading different lives down the road of life. But when I think about it, nothing much has really changed. I am still Haruno Sakura, the girl who is head-over-heels in love with Sasuke-kun. I still love Sasuke-kun, no matter how much I try to deny it. As well as Sasuke-kun still being the same boy who carves his own path with his ambitions.

I've already spent a week with his team. Although it was my choice to go with Sasuke-kun, I feel scared, unprotected, and misplaced. Karin loathes me; often pulling tricks to deliberately harm me, and her other two teammates make no attempt to help me; as if I am invisible to them.

When Sasuke-kun sleeps, I feel as if we are team seven all over again. When he sleeps, he looks less like a stranger – a monster—than he is during daybreak. It is when he is asleep that I feel close to him, as if I can actually reach out to him. When he is asleep, I know that I've made the right choice in not killing him.

Awake, we are strangers to one another. I am the girl who foolishly went after the boy who "died" so long ago, and he is the calculative, manipulative man who uses me to heal the team's wounds. Night is the time when ambitions do not take place. There is no Uchiha – there is only Sasuke. No revenge. There is no Konoha. No team Taka.

Of course, like _Cinderella_, when morning comes, he will be Uchiha Sasuke again. Like a broken spell in a fairy tale, the image of the sleeping innocent boy will shatter, and he will transform back into a monster.

As for me, I will watch him from the shadows, healing his team; once again wondering how he isn't feeling pain with such a burdensome goal and if not killing him was the right choice.


	2. o2: My Greatest Gift

_**Note: **__Inspired by _Angelpuppeteer's _Mr Endlessly and Autumn's Concerto. __Once again, a huge thanks to _AnimeSiren._**  
Warnings:**__ Angst_**  
Word Count: **1,646  
**Summary:** Love has never left me. It's just that I remember, but you have forgotten.

* * *

**My Greatest Gift**

"It's _you_."

His voice was powerful and deep as if it was rumbling from the heavens above. She whirled around and couldn't help but let out a gasp, for standing in front of her was the most powerful, the most influential and the most handsome man, Uchiha Sasuke. Her heartbeats pierced through the awkward silence as his black onyx eyes penetrate her very being.

"You're the woman who helped my fiancée when she was attacked by those thugs," He continued and she let out a breath. Mixed feelings of relief and uneasiness rushed through her all at once.

"It was nothing, Uchiha-san," She replied and a bitter smile crept up onto her lips.

He was taken back by her calmness and her politeness for he had expected the woman in front of him to bulge out at the sight of him. When he saw her eyes widen in recognition of him, he expected the bag that she was holding to fall at once onto the concrete floor and for her face to turn a shade of rosy pink. He half expected the woman to scream out his name in the annoying and shrilly way, but the woman in front of him did not do that.

In fact, she looked at him as if she were seeing a living of the dead.

"Do I know you…?"

It took a while for her to understand his question, but in the end, she let out a raspy no. "We've never met before."

Being an Uchiha, he saw how her shoulders tensed up and how her knuckles turned white from grasping her bag too hard. She must've realized that, for she quickly added, "If we met before, then you would remember, wouldn't you?"

That question somehow confirmed that she did not know him. If she did, he thought, and then surely she would know that he had forgotten everything about the past due to a car accident.

"Hn," He looked at her hard. "You are really familiar though."

"Maybe it's because I was once in a car accident. I don't remember anything," He didn't know why he was telling a stranger something as personal as this. He never told people about his past, but he had no idea why he started now.

"Remember…anything?" She felt herself suffocating and she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, threatening to fall.

"Do I know you?" Sasuke questioned her again.

There was a long pause. Sakura hesitated.

"No."

"But—"

"—Okaa-san!" A light voice cried out, interrupting his sentence.

A little boy ran up to the woman and hugged her.

"Kei!" An instant smile that could rival the sun's warmth and brightness fleeted upon her face. The woman's green eyes sparkled as she picked up the little boy. "How was school?"

"Kei-chan kept mentioning you, Sakura-chan. Apparently, he doesn't see anybody else besides his mother," Sasuke found the whiny voice of the man familiar and when he turned to look, he found a man that could be his very age with spikey golden blond hair that owned a pair of cerulean blue eyes.

He felt a pang of envy; something he had never felt. Something told him he had forgotten something, something very important to him.

"Okaa-san, are you going to cry?" Kei looked intently at her, and Sasuke was in awe that a small boy could be perceptive.

"No, I'm not," she smiled at him. "It's just that Okaa-san is sad. Tsunade-san died today."

"Is that man Tsunade-san's family?" Her son, whom she had referred to as Kei, pointed his index finger towards him.

The other man looked to where Kei was pointing and Sasuke saw his jaws clenched. Eternal blue eyes glared, boring right into his very own onyx ones.

"No Kei. This is Uchiha Sasuke. The man who owns that company that makes your favorite games. He is visiting, waiting for his fiancée," Sakura respond in a light manner,

"Sasuke-kun!" A woman's voice echoed through the hospital's reception hall, and he turned around to see his fiancée, Yamanaka Ino.

"Good work today, Sakura-chan!" Ino chirped.

The pink haired nurse smiled. "Good work today, Ino-chan. We'll be leaving now. It was nice meeting you, Uchiha-san," Sakura bowed and then looking at her husband, she called out, "Naruto, let's go."

He watched the three of them leave and wondered if there would be one day when he would have a family that resemble theirs – loving and blissful.

* * *

She avoided her best friend's eyes, glancing down onto the ground as she held onto Kei's hands. Kei was singing the Doraemon theme song, completely oblivious to the tension that lingered in the air. Naruto was more quiet than usual, but she knew her friend well enough to know that he would he wouldn't pretend to have not seen him.

"What did he say?" The blond hair man asked calmly, but she could detect the underlying irritation in his voice.

"Nothing…" She replied softly and her eyes suddenly found an interest in the concrete below them, as if she could see what was beyond it.

"Nothing," Naruto repeated after her.

"Nothing?" He said again, eyes widened in this disbelief and Sakura was afraid that the man in front of her would soon have a stroke.

"After all that happened, he pretended to _not_ know you? Is this his way of getting revenge on you? He doesn't even suspect that _this_ child is his!"

"He doesn't remember." Her lips quivered.

"What?"

She trembled, "He doesn't remember anything of the past, because of the car incident."

"He doesn't remember anything… including you?"

"Including me," she confirmed.

"But you were his first and only love!" blue eyes hardened and his voice suddenly dropped an octave, "And you're not going to tell him about his past with you."

"Why should I? He's now living a better life."

Naruto stated coldly, "You must remember _Haruno Sakura,_ that he got into a car accident because he was chasing _you_. He didn't want you to leave…with me. He was willing to risk his Uchiha status for you, but you abandoned him. You are selfish, Sakura-chan."

Her bangs swept down to her lashes, almost covering her rare green-coloured eyes. The words stung and she wanted to run away, just like six years ago. It hurt to even speak of it.

"I did it for Sasuke-kun's dream," she retorted, "His dream was to become a CEO and I have no right to take that dream away. I don't have the right to take life away from him. If he was to spend his life with me, then he would be disowned by his family. Sasuke-kun is a prodigy, and he deserves to shine in this world. If he were to marry me, he would lose _everything_."

"But he would have you… and Kei." Naruto could barely conceal his frown.

She took a deep breath, "Naruto, Kami-sama arranged this for the best of everyone. All that matters is for Sasuke-kun to live a better life. For that to happen, memories of him and me need to go. As long as he's happy and living a better life, that's enough for me."

"Do you think it's fair?"

Sakura stayed silent.

"Do you think it's fair to you? Do you think that it's fair for Kei to grow up without knowing that Sasuke is his Otou-san?"

Kei looked up, "Otou-san? That was Otou-san? U…chiha… Sasu…ke?"

Sakura bent down to her son and hugged, the tears flowing down her cheeks, "I'm sorry Kei. I'm sorry that Otou-san can't be with you."

The seven-year-old child looked at her, confused.

"Otou-san will be happier without us. I'm sorry that Kei will have to grow up without Otou-san, but Okaa-san promises you…Okaa-san will love you for Otou-san. I will love you more than anybody else. You are the most important person in my world; the greatest gift that I have received this life time. I will live for your sake."

Naruto watched the scene. His heart ached.

"Even if Kei accepts this, is it fair to you or to Sasuke? One day, he will remember. One day, he will know that Kei is his son."

Sakura stood up and emerald eyes pierced right into his own blue ones. "As long as it's not now, then it's okay. Sasuke-kun is engaged to my co-worker, Ino. Even if he remembers, what can he do then? He would already be married to Ino."

"He's Uchiha Sasuke," Naruto replied coldly. "He's one of the many powerful and influential men in this world. When he knows, he will separate you from Kei."

At that moment, Kei tugged the hem of her skirt and his emerald eyes shined as he smiled cutely at his mother.

"Okaa-san, I don't understand," Kei stated. "I don't understand why Otou-san is marrying another person. I don't understand why Otou-san doesn't want to be me, but if it's better for Otou-san, then I will try to understand. I want to have a father, like the other kids, but if Okaa-san is unhappy then Kei will accept. Kei doesn't want Okaa-san to be unhappy."

More tears flow down her cheeks and she wiped them away.

"Thank you Kei. You are such an understanding child," she turned to Naruto, who frowned at the scene.

"You see, Naruto? I don't need Sasuke-kun in my life. I already have Kei. If the day when Sasuke knows that he is the father of this child is comes, I will thank him. I will say, 'You and I might not be destined for this life, but that's okay, because I have Kei. Thank you Sasuke-kun. Thank you so much for giving me Kei.'"

She smiled softly, without knowing that the wheel of destiny had already started spinning long ago. Their fate was already decided.

Their next meeting would only be a matter of time…

* * *

That's the end (:


	3. o3: Just Dream of Home

**TITLE:** Just Dream of Home  
**WORD COUNT:** 969  
**SUMMARY:** In my next life, I want a happily-ever-after.  
**NOTE:** not angsty for once (: Thanks to **AnimeSiren** for being the most wonderful betareader.

* * *

_Dedicated to **Amaya Rae**._

_(Remember: If this love doesn't work out, that's okay, because there will always be another. After all, happiness is at the last stop)_

_

* * *

  
_

"Uchiha Sasuke, did you know that I looked everywhere for you? The least you could do was to answer my text messages."

Sasuke chose not to respond. Normally, I would've lost my temper on him. Normally, I would've punched the living daylights out of him, but I knew well enough that Sasuke was hurting inside. After all, the life at Konoha's Prestigious School was never as glamorous as most people believed. In broad daylight, it stood as a Prestigious School for the rich, gifted, and talented, but behind its façade was another history. It was a school that trained elite spies, and the hands of death were always so close by.

I settled for a sigh after staring down at him and then I laid myself down on the roof of our private school, next to him.

"I think I now know why Shikamaru prefers to do nothing but look at the sky." I murmured as the blue endless sky embraced us.

Sasuke remained silent, and at that moment I wondered how I, Haruno Sakura, became Uchiha Sasuke's girlfriend. In our school dating is considered taboo, but regardless, here I am, lying on top of the roof with the hottest and smartest heartthrob in the world, but of course, like out school, things aren't exactly as great as rumors would have it be. I barely knew anything about him and he has never opened up to me. He doesn't speak, and I, being a genius freak with an IQ of 160 cannot decode the language of boys. Sometimes, I wonder what a _normal_ girl would take of Sasuke's silence.

"When are you leaving?" Sasuke's low baritone voice interrupted my thoughts and pulled me back into the current reality.

I hesitated, "I… I don't know."

Missions involving undercover operatives could take months, and sometimes, even years to accomplish. There are times when you don't even make it back alive.

"Hn."

I knew Sasuke understood the risks of these undercover missions. I didn't dare to tell him that Tsunade-sama told me that the mission would be one of the most dangerous missions ever, involving the infamous Akatsuki.

Silence engulfed the peaceful surrounding.

"Do you think we'll ever leave this place?" his sudden question threw me off.

I turned my head, to find that he was looking intently at me. There was something different from our usual relationships. It was different from the usual girlfriend-boyfriend cover. Even though I was still putting on a cover, just the solemn look on his face caused me to lose my own happy-go-lucky cover.

"I don't know…" I answered truthfully.

He turned to face the sky.

"Leading lives like this, I can't see our future… I want to be free like the sky." He pointed up to the sky, and I stared at him, startled.

"You're…different." I uttered, unable to think of a better word.

He turned to look at me and his lips lifted, forming the first smile I'd ever seen. It wasn't a smirk that he always wore when he was amused. It wasn't a forced smile that he wore during missions when extracting information from women. It was genuine smile.

Seeing that he wasn't going to say anything else, I just stare at the sky with him, "Ne, Sasuke, if our lives were different… if we could actually lead ordinary lives, what would you imagine it to be like?"

Sasuke didn't reply. I prompted him again, but he still didn't answer. Deciding that it would be a waste of time to continue bothering him, I stood up, only for him to grab one of my hands and pull me down to be next to him once more.

"Stay."

Trust Uchiha Sasuke to demand, and not to ask.

I twitched. "No thank you."

He gripped my hand and I tensed. Giving in to him, I sat down again and stared up at the sky. However, Sasuke's hand still remained intact to mine.

"I want to be somewhere far away from here," Sasuke uttered quietly. "Somewhere quiet and calm—perhaps a cottage near a lake. I'm an average person with a family that consists of a father, a mother and a genius, caring brother. Perhaps Naruto might make it into the picture."

I giggled at the thought, elated by both the seriousness and the image it presented. Sasuke-kun and Naruto were best friends, yet they weren't the type to express their feelings through words. While Naruto usually gets on Sasuke's nerves with his endless stream of idiotic tactics and luck, Sasuke was a goal for Naruto, who wanted to be the best spy in history.

Sasuke's dream life reminded me of my life before I was taken into this elite spy life. Before I was taken away from my family, I lived in a small town in a small apartment. Although it was small and cramped, I remembered being happy without any worries. I missed the porch that allowed me to view the mountains; daydreaming about the future. I had always dreamed of my future that included being an actress, a model, a geisha, a teacher, a waitress, a business woman and countless other options. The life of a spy did occur to me, but I never thought it would come true.

"I like that," I looked at him in the eye and returned a genuine smile of my own.

"Hn."

"And how do I make it in the picture?" I asked him teasingly, not expecting a reply from him.

However, he proved me wrong.

"When I'm seventeen, I would probably run into an annoying and chirpy klutz with pink hair and green eyes…"

"_Hey_!" I frowned; my lips pouting at his answer.

"…and I would fall for you all over again."

Just like that and I knew that somehow, I had found my home.


	4. o4: Around We Go

**WORD COUNT:** 1103  
**BETA-ED: **AnimeSiren  
**SUMMARY:** He's not afraid to break the engagement.  
**NOTE:** Sorry. Not the best. I'm having a writer's block again. =___=;; But I will update this week. REALLY....Maybe.

**Around We Go**

She is a different sort of girl.  
She isn't a dreamer, nor is she an idealist.  
She doesn't desire wealth, fame, or money.  
All she wants is to live a quiet, simple life.

"_If there aren't expectations, you won't feel disappointed."_

Of course, the gods of fate are never lenient with people's wishes.  
They enjoy adding twists to people's lives and changing people's fates.  
With Sakura, it is no exception.

While other girls dream of marrying into a wealthy family,  
Sakura lives in the present.  
She does not think of the potential possibilities in her future.

"_Sakura, you've been hanging out too _much_ with Shikamaru! You need a love life."_

Sakura just smiles whenever Ino gives her a lecture on love.

"_A woman cannot get far without a man in her life."_

She nods her head obediently as if she agrees.  
However, she has no motivation to search for her soul mate.

Ino, flustered by Sakura's deficiency of love, drags her to a club.  
That does not work out.  
Sakura is too plain to be able to leave an impression.

* * *

"_Sasuke-kun, she's trying to find me another guy."  
"Hn."  
"Aren't you jealous?"_

Sasuke is Sakura's acquaintance.  
Sasuke is an Uchiha.  
He is a member of the infamous Akatsuki.  
Sakura has no romantic interest in him.  
She just finds him intriguing.

Even though she considers him a friend, she wishes not to be part of his life.  
That is because Sasuke breaks all the laws and rules that Sakura sets in her life.  
He belonged to a family with wealth and fame.  
He is renowned all over the world, perhaps even more famous than actors and actresses.  
He has been scouted by agencies from all over the world.  
However, despite the impressive proposals, Sasuke lives in a very different world.  
He is part of the Akatsuki.  
He is dangerous.

Sakura makes no effort to know his past, but_ every_ time she's with him, her life would be put in a danger.  
The first time when she set him was on the subway.  
It was four in the morning, and although she never involved herself with potential, messy situations, she decided that she couldn't stand the two guys who were pick pocketing a drunkard.  
It wasn't that fact that she was unimpressed about the pick pocketing.  
No. It was because they sucked and it irritated her.

However, she didn't expect them to trail after her when she got off the bus; ready to beat the living day out of her.  
She also didn't expect him to save her.  
But then, he didn't have to do much.  
Just flash a glare.  
But she swore his eyes changed to red.

When she met him again she was about to get kidnapped.  
Again, he saved her.  
On the occasion when she agreed to get a ride from him on his Suzuki GS500 motorcycle despite her un-cooperating conscience, they had nearly gotten into a car crash.

"_How come being with you is so dangerous?"  
"Why do you say that?"  
"Whenever I'm with you, I fear constantly for my life. Whenever I'm with you, I run into a near-death experience."_

An amused look always graces his face whenever she mentions how unlucky it is for her to be with him.

"_Don't worry, you're with me. You won't die."_  
_"Of course I won't die, but I'll probably end up in a coma one day."_

He smirks, _"Don't worry princess. You entrusted your life to me."_

"_I never did, but since you said I entrusted my life to you, you better take good care of it!"_

"_Hn."_

"_Forever and always."_

"_Hn."_

_

* * *

_

_"Naruto proposed to me."_

Naruto is Sasuke's best friend.  
Loud, bashful, and friendly… he is normal, unlike Sasuke.  
Although Naruto qualifies in all her expectations (which she didn't have much of, according to Ino), Sakura feels that the whole proposal is wrong.

"_I have to get married too."_  
_"Karin, right?"_

Being part of the Uchiha family means you have a fiancée.  
You don't marry for love.  
All that matters are business expansion and status.

"_I'm so happy I'm not you right now. Being part of a noble family sucks, no offense."_

Although Sakura hates that Sasuke has to marry someone he doesn't love, she feels happy for him.

"_Sasuke is a complicated person. It takes courage to be able to love him."  
"And you think Karin can do that?"_ Naruto asks her. _  
"I've met her before, and I'm pretty sure she truly _loves_ Sasuke. He's in good hands."_

She finds tears. Unconsciously, she has been crying.

"_How about us?"_  
_"I'm sorry, but I can't…"_

Naruto takes the whole rejection lightly. Despite that he is crying on the inside, he puts on a façade to be strong for her.

"_It's okay, Sakura-chan! If it doesn't work out like that, it doesn't, but you better promise me that you will always be my best friend. As for teme, he _better _pull his act together."_

Sakura watches the altar, agitated.  
Karin is all dressed with white, pretty and composed; befitting the title of an Uchiha.  
Naruto, who is the best man, stands with a frown on his face.  
That is because Sasuke, the groom, isn't present.

It's considered taboo for the bride to wait at the altar herself.  
Fifteen minutes past, and Sasuke still does not show up.  
Chaos charges through the church and everyone is agitated.  
Behind the scenes guards and the Uchiha residents run around, trying to find Sasuke.

"_He_ was_ in the dressing room!" _

Just when they are about to call the wedding off, Sasuke miraculously appears.

"_Karin, I can't marry you."_

Everyone stops breathing.  
The Chidori family is infuriated.  
The Uchiha family is embarrassed.  
But Sasuke, being a true person to himself, breaks the engagement without shame.

"_I know. The person you like… is _her_, right?"_ Karin whispers

Karin looks over at Sakura, who is still recovering from the unexpected announcement.  
Karin doesn't like Sakura.  
From the first time she met her, she knew that _that_ girl was the one who stole Sasuke's heart.

Sasuke does not reply, but the answer is evident.

* * *

"_I can't believe you did that!" _Naruto grins. _"You're the man!"_

"_I can't believe she walked off the altar."_  
Sakura is annoyed, _"I thought she loved you more than that."  
"But Teme _did_ announce to the whole world that he can't marry her." _

Sakura shakes her head.

"_Why did you do that for?" _

"_Forever and always."_

"What?"

"_You entrusted your life to me. I won't be able to take care of your life if I marry Karin."_

Naruto grins like a maniac, _"Is that a proposal, Teme?"_

_

* * *

_See a part from _Chicago _by Neon Genesis? (; If you did, I award you chocolates. Review please~


	5. o5: Darling, Will You Please?

WORD COUNT: 300  
BETA-ED: AnimeSiren  
SUMMARY: Only around her can I act like this.**  
**A/N: In which we get to see a childish Sasuke.

* * *

**Darling Will You Please?**

I know that Uchihas aren't supposed to act like this. I know that Uchihas aren't supposed to display their emotions like a painted canvas full of different colors, but when I'm around her I lose my Uchiha demeanour. That's only a startling occurance when I'm around her though. Only around her can I spoil myself like a little kid.

"Sakura, take _one_ week off. _One _week wouldn't hurt."

She stares at me as if I'm crazy. Her long pink hair is pulled back into a messy bun and despite the glasses covering her uncanny eyes; the heavy bags are fully visible. Her declining eyesight was due to those late night readings under the dimly lit light, but despite how many times I tell her, Sakura refuses to give in to that fact. Hell, she even refuses to believe that she _overworks_ herself.

"I don't know, Sasuke-kun. It is pretty busy at-"

"Tell me, are we are war right now?" I scowled cutting her off. "We're not right? So we _deserve_ a vacation. I deserve _my_ vacation."

The sound of Sakura's laughed echoed through the Uchiha boundary, bringing instant brightness to the solitary compounds of the house.

"Oh Sasuke, you're so cute~" Sakura giggled, "But-""

The scowl on my face deepened, "-I want _my_ vacation."

Sakura's amused smile deepened at my childish attitude and as she started to protest to my tantrum, I leaned in and kissed her.

"Five days. I won't ask for more."

I smirk when she flushes a light shade of pink and sighs as she unwillingly agrees. I watch her leave the house, feeling triumphant that I was going to get my vacation. After all, who wouldn't be? It would just be me, and my wife. Quiet. No missions. No kunais. No training. And definitely, no paperwork.

Only around her, can I act like this.

**+K. Tram~**


	6. o6: Lacrimosa

**word#:** 151  
**betaed**: AnimeSiren  
**summary**: he constantly thinks of her, even the moment before death takes him away.**  
KTram**: "I'm seriously on a roll on updating. Expect more updates soon. By the way, please vote for which story I should focus on in the new year. The poll is on my profile. This is a gift-drabble for _**fading ink**_. Merry Xmas everyone~" The style and the idea was taken from **_starduchess_**' Predictions

* * *

**Lacrimosa**

_Justice be done, yet grief not at its finale_

"I can't turn back, Sakura. I've made the resolve to avenge them."

_Love and hate, a clash of determination.  
_  
"Come back to us, Sasuke. If you turn yourself in, then Tsunade-sama will definitely lower the charges."

_Departure will severe all bonds._

"My past, full of bigotry, malevolence, and deception cannot be pardoned. There is no reason to, for I do not regret it."

_An apocalypse of death and truth._

"Uchiha Sasuke, ranked class-S and a traitor to the Konoha is condemned to be executed."

_Proximity is pain and inevitable._

As he watched her stand among the crowd trying to be brave and hold back the tears that were already falling, he thought that perhaps, he should've turned himself in. Maybe then, the pain in her heart would have lessened and she wouldn't have had to shed such useless tears for him.

**+K. Tram~**


	7. o7: Countdown

**Countdown  
**_Summary: __She decided that she couldn't wait anymore._

Short, temperamental, inelegant; there was nothing about her that made her stand out apart from the other women dressed in black, silver, or red gowns. Her abnormal green eyes clashed with her pink tresses; which she dye just to provoke her mother.

She stood at the corner of the room with a wine glass in her hand and stared like a respectable audience at the prospect at the other side of the room.

"Honey, why don't you go and talk to Sasu-chan? After all the years that you haven't seen him, you should greet him. He's over there on the other side of the room."

She knew that already, and precisely, that was one of the many reasons she didn't want to go over there. It may seem that the majority of the women were at the other side of the room, talking among themselves, but she knew better. While no one was looking, eyes secretly glanced at the aloof young man clad in a black tailor-suit. Their eyes were on the prize, which was simply his heart.

Whoever wins the heart of Uchiha Sasuke would be the modern day Tokyo Empress and the New Years association event was just the right event for it.

For Sakura, it wasn't fair. She had grown up with Sasuke all her life, harbouring a crush that she knew developed into something much more than she could fathom. But she also knew that it was an unrequited love.

The first time she stared into his deep, alluring pools of onyx, she knew that she developed an infatuation with him. Being his family friend she would often see him, and every time he would manage to make her heart skip a beat. When she declared her love for him, he brushed her off and simply ignored her.

When they entered elementary school girls either befriend her just to get closer to him, or bullied her for being unworthy of the Uchiha. In her middle years, Sakura learned to stay from Sasuke, for he found new friends and she didn't want to be bullied. Still, it didn't stop her infatuation with him. As always, whenever he passed by, she would stare like a pathetic school girl among the crowd of girls. Even now, she was still the same.

When she was in high school an incident broke out forcing her to leave. It was better that way – for him to be free of her and for her to move on. Moving to London, Paris, and then to New York, she still couldn't move on and find a new lover.

Uchiha Sasuke made such an impact in her life that even in the sea of men in London, Paris, and New York, she still chased after every man with midnight colored hair and dark eyes in hopes that he came to find her, only to find that it had been one of his many doppelgangers. Still today, of all the boys and men, no one could be intoxicated and alluring like him by just standing and doing nothing.

A woman whom she recognized to be Karin, one of the world's renowned models, adorned in a flowing wine red Floor-length dress robe which hugged her statuesque figure at the upper body and slightly flared at the waist, made her way to her childhood friend. It was definitely a figure to boast about, and Sakura could tell by the way she walked that the woman, herself, knew it too.

_Ah, she's flirting with him,_ she thought as she stared at the couple. Karin's eyes glimmered under the lights as she smiled playfully, putting a hand gently on Sasuke's shoulders. She saw how a small visible smile crept on his face, and her cheeks burned. Sasuke never smiled at her like that, never once in her whole entire life with him.

_So she's the one_, she thought bitterly. _Karin will be the one that Sasuke chooses_ and she sighed. She had to leave. She definitely had to leave before she broke down before the high-classed society class. _Who am I to think that he might one day belong to me?_

At that moment, their eyes made contact. Pools of onyx unexpectedly looked up and widened. The vanquishing flow of their relationship seemed to obstruct the course of time, and like those clichéd movies, she broke away and made a dash for the exit.

…

Sakura laughed bitterly as she stood on the platform, waiting for the express train to come. She was stupid for believing that maybe he would chase after her and embrace her. She had deliberately missed four trains, hoping it would happen, but eventually, she gave up on the idea.

"I've already given him many chances. I can't wait forever," She murmured to herself as the fifth one came to a stop outside the station. Deciding it was finally time for her to stop waiting, she took a step only to have a hand grab her and spin her around.

"What the—," Her face hit the chest of someone.

"Well, neither can I."

Sakura eyes widened in alarm; she'd recognize that velvet voice anywhere.

Sasuke.

"Why—why are you here?" Just as she finished her sentence, Sasuke's lips crashed against hers.

She felt herself freezing up, but only to melt into it. If it were a dream, she wouldn't want to wake up from it. _But all good dreams must come to an end_, she reasoned as he pulled back.

"What are you doing here, Sasuke?"

He looked softly into her emerald eyes, "You left. You left without telling me."

She didn't know whether he was talking about her four year absence or the Christmas party, but he looked lost and abandoned, inspiring guilt into her conscience.

"I'm sorry." She bit her bottom lip, which was beginning to quiver. She wanted to cry for all the mistakes she committed in the past.

"I don't need that, Sakura." He replied evenly, "All I need is for you to stay. Stay and let me love you."

In the far distant, the clock chimed, indicating a new beginning; the start of a new year.

_A/N: A New Year's gift. Welcome 2011!  
PS. A review would be nice.~_

**+K. Tram**


	8. o8: Happily Never After

**Happily Never After**

Summary: It was the price of loving someone too much.

"_There was once a girl who was loved by everyone around her. Blessed with a fair complexion and alluring eyes, she was envied by all. This girl was born into a prosperous family; a true heiress enclosed with happiness, riches, and dazzling smiles. However, fate was cruel; all fairy tales must come to an end. For that girl, her beloved father died, leaving her with a spiteful stepmother and two resentful stepsisters who absolutely despised her. She became a servant of the household and lived a miserable life. Of course, that was only a trial for her, for God wanted to test if the girl deserved true happiness: Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the world. When God decided He was through with testing her, He smiled down at her and gave her a new life; a life full of richness, a life of fame and true love. We know this story as _Cinderella_."_

Sakura loved fairy tales; she often dreamed of being a wretched princess suffering from all the disastrous events that fate brought to her. She believed that if she could conquer all of its mockeries, she would eventually reach the happiness she deserved – and that happened to be the boy who was the apple of the eye of almost all the girls in her village: Uchiha Sasuke.

The first trial was her freakish appearance: exotic pink hair like the color of the lovely spring cherry blossoms and green eyes like jade. While those two colors were lovely by themselves, they contradicted with each other on her. Sai loved to tease her, saying that they were the color of frogs— which she absolutely hated, for they were slimy and wet. Not only that, she bore a large forehead, which often made her the subject to the bullying at the academy.

Sakura hated the way she looked, and when she grew up, her height became an issue. She was physically a woman in a child's body. Still, that didn't make her give up in her happily ever after ending. She believed the Sasuke wasn't the type to judge on looks, because every prince charming could see past the deceiving exterior and look deep into the heart.

The second trial was her best friend, Yamanaka Ino. They were childhood best friends. Ino was the person who helped her overcome her appearance complex. She was Sakura's first friend; the only person who extended her arms to help Sakura fight her weakness. However, friendship ties were cut once Uchiha Sasuke was involved. Sakura didn't care though; she loved fairy tales too much and was blinded by the conviction that Uchiha Sasuke was her prince charming or knight in shining armour to see that the true importance of friendship.

Eventually, team seven was assembled, and she knew it was fate that brought her together with Sasuke. It was definitely a sign that Sasuke was meant to be hers! She was one step closer to obtaining the fairy tale she wanted. Naruto was an additional nuisance to the team, but that was okay. To her, love came with trials and Naruto was just another trial; another obstacle to be broken down so that Sasuke and she could be together. For her, Naruto was the third wheel trying to break her up with Sasuke.

The fourth trial was Sasuke's past. Apparently, the definition of love did not exist in Sasuke's vocabulary. Like Sakura, who was blinded by love, Sasuke was blinded by vengeance. _"I can't love anyone, Sakura. My goal is to avenge the man who killed my family."_ She did so many things to try and erase that hate; to erase the darkness that imprisoned the heart and the soul of her prince charming, but no matter how hard she tried, it was all in vain. Still, she believed in fairy tales, and all fairy tales come with trials and Happily Ever Afters. For her love, this is just another trial to be overcome; to be defeated before the Happily Ever After could be attained.

The fifth trial was her weakness. She was beginning to have doubts in her abilities for the difference between the power and talent between her and the rest of her team was beginning to show. Sakura was the smartest kunoichi in Konoha and she was proud of that, for it gave her a reason to believe she deserved Sasuke. Alas, it did not make up for her lack of power. She was weakest in the team. Just like her name, she was weak and delicate, and her team often got injured while covering up for her. Sakura hated it, but she ignored it, convincing herself that the princess has to be weak so that her prince could save her or else there would be no fairy tale.

Her once idealistic future started spiralling out of control when fate ridiculed her and decided to have her prince charming go scampering to Orochimaru with his thirst for power. Sakura cried and cried; she cried for his actions, for her weakness, for Naruto's determination to bring him back and sacrifice of everything, but she truly believed that it was just another trial. "Just another trial," she says. Another one until he comes back to her. "He will be back for sure."

And like she predicted, he did come back after a period of two years. Sakura didn't mind at all. Ironically, this time, he came back with replacements; a replacement for Naruto, for Kakashi, and for _her_. She convinced herself that it was a tall tale, that it had no meaning. But no, the prince charming that was supposed to save her would be the one to destroy her village, her home, her friends, and satirically, _her_.

"_Grow up, Forehead Girl. I know you're blinded by that stupid love of yours, but if you don't break out of it, Sasuke will be the death of you!" _

She knew, but she couldn't accept it. She refused to accept the reality. She was an idealistic girl who wanted her fairy tale; a 'happy ever after,' where Sasuke was her prince charming. But no, rather than being the good natured princess, she was the evil stepsister. She was the one who ruined everything: She ruined Naruto's future— Naruto, who fought for their promise to bring him back. She ruined her village's future for she refused to kill him. She ruined Kakashi's life, for trying to protect their village.

Because of her weakness and selfishness, she had ruined many people's life. It was all because of her idealistic fairy tale. And when she saw him with _her_, she knew that there was no Happily Ever After for her. She saw it: the way Sasuke looked at _her_, the way he spoke to _her_, how much reliance he had for_ her_. Even though_ the girl_ was like a replica of her, _she_ was much wiser and assertive than her. Unlike her, Karin was unforgiving, strong, calculating and definitely not hesitant. She could kill without batting an eyelash.

"Go away, Sakura." She tensed when he said her name. A moon peaked out of the shadowy sky, just like the night when he left the village to seek power. A wave of memories strike her, reminding me of the time when they were Genins. She felt like they were twelve again.

"Why couldn't it have been me?" She murmured softly and then words came out sounding more desperate than intended. She wanted to fix everything, but in the end, she knew she couldn't. Her prince charming was the devil, and she had sold her soul to him. She knew that many years ago, if he asked her to come along with him, she would've run away with him. Even until now, the decision would not change.

Sasuke stared impassively at the prospect that lay before him and she wondered if he thought of her as a little girl rather than a woman. Even in her high heel combat boots, he still towered over her. Even Naruto and Sai couldn't make her feel hopeless the way he did. Just his presence made her wanted to cower away in fear, but Sakura wasn't the type to run away. Not from him.

"Why…" She paused, "Why must it be her? What does she have that I don't?"

"Is it her chakra sensing skill and her healing powers? Is it because…" She trailed off, the words stuck in her throat, unable to roll out of her mouth.

"…because she's not me?" Her voice cracked and tears were streaming down her face.

He didn't say anything. He continued to stare at ahead; his face emotionless as if he was a doll, a killing machine.

"You said that you can't love anyone," She took a few breathes, unable to go on. Somehow, the confirmation was much more frightening than she had anticipated. It was supposed to be Sasuke who was being interrogated, yet she felt as if she was the one being confronted. "That your goal is to avenge the man who killed your family. Is it because Konoha was the one who killed your family that you're going to now kill me? If it is, I can abandon that. I can abandon my heritage and my link to Konoha! I will kill them if you want."

"You can't do that, Sakura." He stated evenly, "You know it yourself."

She ignored his obvious statement. "But the one you chose wasn't me. It was _never_ me," Her shoulders shook and suddenly, she felt drained of energy. "Why is it her?"

The light in the moon was obscured by a dark cloud, and a shadow fell over his face. His face remained impassive, but for her first time in her life, he said, "I'm sorry..."

Her eyes widened with tears. She didn't want that. It would make her heart—

"…Sakura."

-break.

She always imagined him to call say her name in a gentle, soft manner. Here, it was being accomplished and instead of making her feel protected and contented, she felt even more pain shoot through her heart.

"Make it stop," She whispered, clutching her chest. "Make it stop. I feel as if my heart is breaking into pieces. I feel like I've been hit with the Rasengen or the Chidori."

Then, for the first time in her life, she saw remorse in his eyes, the guilt of his inability to return her love, and it broke her heart even more.

"This is worse than dying." She continued to cry.

"I always believed Sasuke-kun would one day return back to me—to us. I believed Sasuke-kun would accomplish his revenge and return. I thought I was special to you. I thought you were my prince charming, that you would give me my 'Happily Ever After.' But…" she swallowed trying to hold in a new wave of tears, trying to be strong.

"…I realized I was wrong. You look at her differently than you look at me. You were genuinely worried for her when Naruto almost killed her. You almost sacrificed yourself when you intervened. As for me, you never cared for me. You never did, because you took everything and everyone away from me. You could never return my love, yet you took everything that I hold dear, away from me. I could give everything away just for you, but you took me for granted. You took everything away from me without returning my feelings."She knew she wasn't making any sense anymore. It came out like a ramble, but she didn't care. She was hurting. "I-Ino was right… Sasuke-kun, you will be the death of me."

While she was doing her best not to cry, he remained apathetic. He just closed his eyes and took deep breaths.

"You must think I'm really annoying right now, right?" An ironic smile that could very well rival his own smirk made its appearance on her face. "Well Sasuke-kun, you can kill me right now. You already killed me emotionally. It won't change if you kill me physically." Once again, tears fell and she clutched the place where her heart beat in pain. She was hurting and hurting and hurting. It was worse than seeing a field dyed in red.

Sasuke tightened his hands into fists. She could tell he wanted to kill her. His tolerance for her annoyance must have reached his limit.

"I can't love you, Sakura." His statement was monotone.

"So just killed me already!" she shrieked. "Then you would be happy because you don't have to live with this guilt and I would be happy, because I won't feel the pain anymore."

The wheels in his eyes began to spin and he stared into her uncanny green eyes. Surprisingly, the eyes reverted back to the golden pools of onyx. "I won't kill you, Sakura. I want you to suffer seeing your village die before you. I want you to have a taste at what it feels to see everyone before you die. You will see your end eventually, and by then, the pain will go away. So just be patient and wait."

With that, he turned around and walked away.

"No…" she whispered, looking at his disappearing back. "…Don't go!"

Once again, she could only watch his back, unable to do anything. Once again, Sasuke was walking away from her. Once again, he was disappearing away from her life; the distance between them growing farther and farther, and her heart felt as if it was going to explode. Explode, until there was nothing of her left.

Rather than saving her, he was the death of her.

A Happily Never After.

…

A/n: I was inspired by Strawbee08's update for _Destined, _and I remember writing a story similar to this, so I dug it up and changed it to a one shot with a few alternations since I wrote it before Karin came in and all that jazz. There will be similarities to _Destined_ and a gazillion other dramas and music videos I watched which depicted heartbroken scenes and moving on and breaking up.

In case you didn't notice, Sasuke did feel something for Sakura. His actions were misinterpreted by Sakura.

_P.S. _Please read Malestrom and A Beautiful Disaster to take the poll (:**  
**


	9. o9: Unattainable

**TITLE: **Unattainable**  
****WORD COUNT:** 360  
**SUMMARY**: It is a lie she's never going to admit to.

* * *

When you start growing up, fantasies become more realistic and love takes on a whole new definition. For me, Sasuke is like the air; his presence is always with me, and it's only when he is gone that I notice how much I need him. However, our friendship is of precarious stability, and I know for certain that if I were to confess to him, I would lose that enveloping presence forever. We can be anything but that relationship; Sasuke can be my best friend, a brother figure, my diary, yet he cannot be my lover. His emotions regarding such matters are too complicated to understand, but I have a small hunch he isn't interested in starting a relationship.

Sasuke may be cute, handsome, intelligent, but the number of relationships he has been can be counted with one hand. I've asked him innumerable times, "Sasuke, what would happen if I tell you I love you?" And every time, Sasuke smirks at my question and replies without hesitation, "I would run away and hide from you, Sakura."

Everyone likes to pair us up together, but we both know that relationship won't work. Actually, I know it won't work, and therefore I sink into lies and denial. Sasuke may be perfect on the outside, but he is still human. He lacks emotions in the love department, and therefore, I can't confess to him. Because I can't confess to him, I deny all my feelings towards him. In fact, I've lied innumerable times, saying, "There's no way I would like Sasuke-kun. He will be the last person I ever like. We are just friends." I've told this to everyone - my friends, my best friend, Ino, Sasuke, himself, and of course, to myself. The best lie is the one you can actually believe yourself.

While Sasuke remains unaffected, I feel myself falling into the depths of abyss from my lie. It might be a white lie to others, but to me, it is irreversible. Maybe it's my pride that allows this to happen, but now that I've gone in too deep, I can only bring this lie to my grave.


	10. 1o: Breath

**Title:** #2 Breath  
**Word Count:** 232 words  
**Summary:** _the only sound in the world_

* * *

Every night he closes his eyes, he is immediately transported back to the night when he is seven, where his world is consumed by the burning hot fire that crackles and mocks at his helplessness. Bodies are strewn everywhere and blood spills over the floor like rain puddles. Sasuke usually wakes up in cold sweat.

This is a curse that he is going to live with for the rest of his life. It doesn't matter if he learned the truth. It doesn't matter if he decided to live up to Itachi's honour and protect the village. It doesn't matter, because he has relived the nightmare for the past fifteen years and will continue to do so.

Because of it, he feels regretful of what his wife has to go through. There are nights where he thrashes. Other nights, he grips her arms tightly, to the point that it leaves bruises-Sakura smiles understandingly and heals her arms the following morning. He is glad that the frequent ones are of him waking up in cold sweat.

Usually, Sakura is still deep in slumber, so Sasuke lays in bed, listening to the world around him. Nothing shifts in quiet of the night except for the rhythm of her chest rising and falling, which puts him at ease. And then he closes his eyes, knowing that this time, he is able to sleep in peace.

* * *

**A/N:** Drabbles are definitely a lot easier to write and less time-consuming. I have one scene left for chapter 8 of Maelstrom. Thanks for waiting!


End file.
